And when their question advanced for bringing what they propose of the signs, and the indication had passed that their sailing in the ship is among the greatest of signs, even if they had forgotten that due to their familiarity with it, and the verses were interconnected as previously mentioned, this clarified that the enjoyment of the liars is little, in fear of the severe power and great punishment. Following that, he narrated the story of the people of Noah because they were the longest of the unjust nations in duration and the most numerous in number. Then they were taken with a severe taking, and their traces vanished, and their signs and markers were obliterated, so they became as if they had never existed at all, nor did they show any words or actions. So Allah, the Most High, said, connecting to His saying: "Say, indeed those..." [Yunus: 69], comforting His Prophet and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, because when the calamity is widespread, it becomes lighter. And as a warning to the disbelievers, so they may return or lessen their harm: "And recite..." meaning read a continuous and elevated recitation "to them the news of Noah," meaning: his great news, reminding them of the beginning of the existence of the ship, and that it was at that time a strange sign, extraordinary and miraculous. And that the people of Noah were not benefited by that, nor did their fabrication and obstinacy avail them, despite the long duration and the distance of the periods. Rather, their matter became one of disappearance, and a violent taking and punishment, "as if they had not remained except for an hour of the day, recognizing one another" [Yunus: 45], with the salvation of their messenger and the disappointment of their hopes. He remained among them what no prophet remained in his people nor messenger in his nation for a thousand years except for fifty years, and none believed with him except a few. "When he said to his people..." meaning: after he called them to Allah, and he prolonged his call to them, and they enjoyed much in this world, and he gave them a long respite, yet that only increased them in aversion. "O my people..." meaning: O those whose opposition is dear to me, and what harms them is difficult for me, for their negligence of the right of their Lord, despite their strength in obedience. "If it has become great..." meaning: it has become difficult and a great hardship that has become a nature. "Upon you..." And since it is customary for preachers and speakers to be standing during the sermon, he said: "My standing..." meaning: my standing, and perhaps he specified this source for its suitability for the place of standing and its time, so the news of his dislike for what he fell into of standing is more indicative of the dislike of standing. "And my reminding..." meaning: of you "with the signs of Allah," meaning of Him who has glory and honor, for that does not prevent me from striving with what is difficult for you from that, out of fear of you; for Allah has commanded me with it, and I fear His punishment if I abandon it, and I do not care about your dislike for that, fearing the consequence of your intent to harm me. "So indeed, I rely upon Allah," meaning: upon Him who has all might alone. "And I have relied on Him" means establishing that as a position of recompense from the release of the cause - which is reliance - upon the caused - which is the absence of fear - metaphorically, informing them of the greatness of Allah and their insignificance because they turned away from the signs while they know them, as indicated by the expression of reminding. This indicated their obstinacy with falsehood, and the falsehood is not feared; for falsehood has no stability. And this was indicated by His saying: "So gather your affair..." meaning: in harming me by destruction and otherwise, resolve upon it and intend it and be firm in it. And the 'and' means 'with' in His saying: "and your partners," to indicate that he does not fear them even if they are their partners alive, regardless of who they were, and their word is one without division in it in any way.

And when the one who conceals matters does so because he misses some of the objectives due to the condition of concealment, he informed them that he does not oppose them whether they reveal or conceal. He said: "Then let it not be" meaning: after the stubbornness and the long time of surpassing in consultation, "your matter" meaning: that which you intend by me, "a confusion upon you" meaning: hidden, something is concealed from you because of concealing that from me so that I do not strive against you. So do not do that, rather declare it to me openly, for there is no opposition to me except by Allah, with whom secrecy and openness are equal; and the expression "Then" indicates deliberation and the perfection of the matter for safety from opposing it with something of His power or strength. "Then decide" [what you want, meaning: finalize it decisively as if it is already decided and connected] "to me."

And when that was apparent in the accomplishment and not explicit, he stated it in his saying: "And do not delay me" meaning: for a moment, and all of that is to show the little concern for them due to reliance on Allah, for nothing can overwhelm Him, and their deities do not avail anything.